Platen equipment for type-writing machines.



H. A. POOTHORAP. PLATEN EQUIPMENT FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

{APPLICATION FILED FEB. 6, 1911.

1,1 16,812. Patented Nov. 10, 1914 5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

flAioZharup.

H. A. FOOTHORAP.

PLA'IEN EQUIPMENT FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 6, 1911.

Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

5 SHEETSSHBET 2.

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H. A. POOTHORAP.

PLATEN EQUIPMENT FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 6,1911.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Patented N 0v. 10, 1914.

INVENTOR WITNESSS H. A. FOOTHORAP. PLATEN EQUIPMENT r03. TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 6,1911

Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

5 SHEETSrSHEBT 4.

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PLATEN EQUIPMENT FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES. APPLICATION TILED YER. 6,1911.

1,1 16,812, Patented N0v. 10,1914.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

i. INVENTOR,

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HARRY A. FOOIHOBAP, OF HARRISBURG. PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB TO ELLIOTT- FISHER COMPANY, OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF DELA- WARE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

Application filed February 8, 1911. Serial No. 06,928.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY A. Foornonar, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Harrisburg, in the count of Dauphin and State of Pennsylvania, ave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Platen Equipment for Type-Writing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to What are known as fiat platen typewriters, and more particularly to the equipment of the platen with means facilitating the manipulation and use of certain forms and combinations of work sheets or strips and transfer elements.

Considered more specifically, the object of the invention is to equip a platen with devices torfacilitating transportation billing, which involves what is known as multibilling, by means of a manifold strip and also multi-billing by means of a series of separate sheets.

In order to aid in comprehending the subsequent description of the structure, it

may be well, by way of remise, to state that in transportation bfiling so-called, there is necessity for making three or more copies of each freight bill and a much larger number of manifest sheets, which latter are in edect condensed records of the bills minus the headings and also include data not included in the bills. @no copy of each bill is retained by the consiguor, another copy is transmitted to and retained by any connecting line which may handle the freight billed, and the third copy is designed for the consignee. The various copies of-the manifest constitute records for the use of the carrier, terminal agents, etc., and .also constitute checking records for the various auditing ollicials of the transportation system. Multi-billing by means of manifold strip whereby a plurality of connected copies of each bill may be secured is not unknown; see Patent'No. 773,287 issued to Hiram J. Hallo, @ctoher 25, 19%.

The present invention isdirected to the equipment of the platen with transfer ole meuts laterally movable in difierent direo tions into opposite holds of the manifold strip and so mounted that the lengthwise. feed of the strip will be unohstrnctcd andthat the strip and its transfer elements without disturbance of their interrelation, may be moved away from the writing surface of the platen to facilitate the displacement of the subjacent printed manifest sheets and their replacement by unused sheets, the manifold strip and its transfer-means being movable back to normal position for continuation of the billin operation without disturbing the longitudinal adjustment of the strip.

The invention is further directed to the provision of additional transfer means designed to transfer theimpression from the manifold strip to a subjacent manifest or other sheet and associated with the movable support of the manifold strip for displacement and replacement therewith when access to the subjaceut sheet or sheets is de.

sired for any purpose.

The invention is further directed to a novel arrangement whereby the manifold strip and its transfer means are carried by a. movable support which, in its normal position, constitutes a work holder which retains the subjacent sheets in proper position on theplaten and which, when moved from normal position, carries the manifold strip and the transfer means away from the subjacent sheets and simultaneously releases suid sheets, to the end'that the mere act of moving the strip support will simultaneously release the subjacent work sheets and render the same accessible for displacement or adjustment.

Other aspects of the invention and subordinate objects thereof will hereinafter more fully appear.

in the accompanying drawinws Figure l is va perspwtive View of an Elliott-Fisher typewriter associated with a platen equipped in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the traclr frame raised, the machine being indicated in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective View of apertion of the manifold strip or web. Fig. l is a plan vview of the platen with portions thereo broken away and omitting the work and transfer elements. Fig. 5 is a treat end view of the platen partly broken away to enlarge the scale. Fig. 6 is a longitud nal sectional view of the platen partly broken away. Fig. 7 is a transverse section of the same subject-matter. Fig. 8 is a. perspccti e view of the platen showing the transfer too leaves swung apart. Fig. 9 is a pc View of one of the transfer bars with the adjacent portion of the transfer Web indicated in dotted lines, and Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view showing the mounting of one of the transfer bars.

1 indicates a stationary flat platen upon the opposite side margins of which are imposed tracks or gmdes 2 upon which travels, longitudinally of' t-he platen, the main machine frame 3 supporting a laterally movable carriage i upon which is mounted key-operated printing mechanism, as is well understood in the art. The rear end sections 5 of the tracks or guides 2 are fixed to the platen and constitute a stationary machine support for the reception of themachine whenthe latter is moved back from the printingarea of the platen, as indicated in Fig. 2. The front track sections 6 are hinged at their rear ends, as indicated at 7, and are connected at their front ends by a frame bar 8 to form a vertically swinging frame 9 ordinarily designated a track frame and which in the present connection may be variously regarded as a work holder, a machine support, or a carrier for the manifold web and certain transfer elements, as will more fully appear.

Disposed parallel with one side edge of the platen and extended somewhat above the writing surface-is a work gage or abutment strip 10 screwed or otherwise secured to studs 11 extending laterally from the side edge of the platen. The gage 10 is designed to constitute an abutment for the left hand edges of a series of flat work sheets 12 supported by the platen and preferably alternating with interposed carbon or transfer sheets. .in the normal position of the frame 9 the side members or track sections 6 thereof overlie and retain the Work sheets 12, which are further held in a flat, spread-V out condition by transverse work-holding.

or guarding webs 13 extendin between the rails 6 and adjustable longitu 'nally of the latter.

The rear extremities of the rear track sections 5 are extended beyond the rear end of the platen and are connected by a cross-bar 1t spaced from the platen, as shown in Figs. and 6. Extended rearwardly from the bar 14 are two bearing brackets 15 which constitute side guides for a manifold strip 8, see Fig. 6.

A portion of the web 16 is. shown in Fig.

'nected by opposite longitudinal folds d and 3 and will be seen to be formed by folding a long web of paper in opposite directions along longitudinal lines to produce a series of superposed plies or layers a, b and a cone. The upper surface of each layer or ply of this strip is in the present instance provided with longitudinally extending series of freight bill blanks printed thereon, each bill including the usual heading, below which are the lines dividing the bill into columns. A number of these bill blanks overlie the writing surface of the platen and are filled in successively by advancing the machine over the platen in the usual manner. When the set of bills overlying the platen have been filled in, the strip is drawn forward until an unused set of bill blanks is opposite the writing surface to permit a repetition of the operation, it being obvious that if transfer material is interposed between the layers of the web the transfer of the impression to the underlying layers will pro duce a given bill record in triplicate. Where, as in the present instance, a condensed record is sought simultaneously with the billing, a single bill is first made out and then the strip is advanced independently of the subjacent sheets until the space for the first entry on the next bill is opposite the next unused space on the condensed record sheet, this manipulation of the bill strip after the writing of each bill being necessary to prevent the waste of space on the record sheet, which would otherwise be coincident with the headings of the bills.

The rovisionof transfer means for the manifold strip 16 involves some difiiculty, the length of the strip rendering the use of coincident longitudinal carbon webs imprac- 1 'tical and the fact that the layers of the strip are connected along longitudinal edges precludingthe use of transfer carbons extending between carriers at opposite sides of the strip. It has therefore been proposed to mount swinging transfer elements or leaves at opposite sides of the strip and arranged to be swung laterally into the opposite folds of the strip and held stationary as the strip is fed forward. The use of such leaves is contemplated by the present inventiombut the construction and arrangement thereof is materially different from anything heretofore suggested. In Fig. 8 the two transfer leaves 18 and 19 are shown, extending lengthwise of the platen in superposed relation and secured or swung from their outer edges to enable them to be swung into the opposite folds of a manifold strip and to lie in alternating relation to the plies or layers thereof.

Each transfer leaf 18 comprises an inked or carbonized paper or fabric strip or ribbon 20 provided with terminal vloops 21 which receive transversely disposed bars or which is hingedly mounted at its outer end.

' The character ofthis mounting is clearly shown in Figs. 8 to 10 and includes a tubular sleeve 23 formed by bending or curling the end of the blade to receive a hinge rod or pintle 24 passed through and supported by blocks 25 and 26 the opening in the latter being of suflicient size and threaded to receive an externally threaded bushing 27 having a knurled head 28 and hearing at its inner end against'one end of the sleeve 23. The blade 22 swings freely from the pintle 24 to permit the transfer web to be swung into and out of the fold of the ,manifold strip. The bushings 27 while forming bushings or linings for the blocks 26 are primarily desi ned as tension devices for the transfer we s, since it will be seen that by rotating these bushings in the proper direction the two blades at the opposite ends of the web will be urged apart thus holding the intervening portion of the web perfectly taut and causing the latter to lie smooth and unwrinkled within the manifold strip. The bushings 27 therefore constitute means for adjusting the transfer blades 22 laterally and may also be regarded as tension mechanism for the transfer Webs. The rear bearing blocks 25 for the'blades 22 located at the rear end of the platen are screwed or otherwise securedto the cross-bar 14 while the adjacent blocks 26 are similarly secured to the upper surface of the platen, as shown in Figs. 6 and 8. It will thus be seen that the mountings for the two rear blades 22 are carried by stationary portions of the platen structure. The front blades 22, on the contrary, are mounted on the frame 9 for which purpose the blocks 25 are mounted on the frame bar 8 while the adjacent blocks 26 are mounted on a second frame bar 30 secured to the under sides of the movable track sections 6 in rear of the bar 8, but somewhat in advance of the front end of the platen, see Figs. 6 and 8. In order to revent the displacement of the transfer we s 20 from the blades 22, the outer side edges of the latter may be and preferably are'formed with spurs 31 preferably formed inte ml with the blades, see Fig. 9. Whenthecops of the web 20 are slipped over the blades the spurs 31 will pass through and secure the webbing. v

It will now be seen that in'accordance with my invention the platen equipment includes transfer webs extending longitudinally'of the platen and terminally secured to swinging blades which coact with the webs to form hinged transfer leaves mounted beyond opposite sides of the manifold strip and adapted to be swung in opposite directions into opposite folds of saidstrip and to he one above another op osite the same area of the :platen. It wil also be noted that that portion of the transfer leaves lying between the terminal blades is flexible and that while the rear ends of the leaves are mounted on a fixed part of the platen structure, the front ends of said leaves are carried by the frame 9 which, as we have seen, is movable toward and away from the platen for the purpose of releasing and rendering accessible the work sheets 12 disposed upon the platen below the manifold strip. This construction and arrangement of the leaves 18 and 19 permits their front portions to be raised with the frame 9, as shown in Fig. 2, while their rear ends lie undisturbed in normal position within that portion of the manifold strip located over the machine support in rear of the rail hinges 7. In other words, the arrangement is such that the manifold strip and the interposed transfer leaves may be raised away from the platen with the frame 9 without in any way disturbing the relation between the strip and the transfer medium. The maintenance of this pro er relation is also aided by the work-hol ing guide bars or webs 13 which serve not only to aid in the holding and guarding of the subjacent work sheets, but also support that portion of the manifold web which extends over the writing. surface and prevent the web from dropping materially when the, frame 9 israised. In order to allow the blades 22 to normally liein somewhat lower planes than the hinges, the hinged ends of the blades are bent, as indicated at 31, into angular relation to the body portions of the blades.

In addition to the transfer leaves for the manifold strip, it-is desirable to equip the platen .with additional 1 transfer means which in the present instance is'in the form ofa web or ribbon 32 extended longitudinally over the platen below the manifold strip and above the uppermost manifest sheet, so that, as a bill is made out in tri licats on the'manifold stri the printed ata will be transferred "b t e web 32 to the uppermost manifest s eet and thus to the subjacent manifest sheets through the medium of the interposed carbons. The transfer web 32' has its opposite end wound upon spindles or carriers 33 and 34 provided with knurled heads 35 by means of which the spindles may be rotated to feed the web 32 from one to the other. The rear spindle 33 is preferably mounted in the brackets 15 below the cross-bar 14:, while the front spin dle 34 is mounted in bearing blocks 36 secured to the under side of the frame bar 8 by bolts or screws 37 which constitute retaining means common to the blocks 36 and the adjacent block 25 It will thus be seen that the transfer web 32, like the webs.20

rear end by a carrier located in rear of the track frame and at its front end is secured to the track frame to insure its elevation by the latter when access to the manifest sheets is desired. The web 32 may be assed over or under the work-holding mem ers 13 and I the bar 30. In any event, when the work frame is thrown up to the position indicated in F ig; 2, the manifold strip 16, the front portions of the transfer'leaves 18 and 19 and the front portion of the transfer web 32 will all be carried with it away from the subjaeent work sheets and will all be carried back to normal position by the mere act of lowering the frame to clamp the sheets on the platen.

Briefly, the operation of the described mechanism is as follows :'Assuming the parts to be in 'normal position, the machine is moved forward on the platen, for instance to the position shown in Fig. 1, and the operator proceeds to make out a bill on the uppermost layer of the manifold strip 16. The matter thus printed is transferred to the two lower layers of the strip to produce the bill in triplicate. The data thus printed on the bill is transferred to the uppermost manifest sheet 12 by the transfer 'web 32 and, to 'subjacent manifest sheets. by interposed carbons. It will be. noted that the manifold or bill strip extends over approximately one-half only-of the platen so that a considerable-portion of the sheets 12 extend beyond the right hand edge of the manifold strip. This is for the reason that the manitest sheets are designed to receive data which is not desired shall appear in the bill, but which applies to the latter and must therefore be printed on the manifest sheets opposite the transferred copy of the bill. Therefore, having made out a bill, the operator shifts the carriage of the machine from its position over the bill strip to a position opposite the exposed portion of the upper manifest and she enters upon the latter the requireddata, which is transferred to the subjacent -manifest sheets by the carbons. Preparatory to making out the next bill, the operator grasps the front end of the manifold strip-and draws thesame forward until the first writing line of the next bill blank in rear'of the one written is brought to a position one line in advance of the last entry on the exposed portion of the manifest sheet. She then imparts one line space movement to the machine and proceeds to make outthe next bill; the record of ,which will be transferred tmthemanifest sheets immediately below the receding bill and thus produce a condense record of the bills on the manifest. When the manifest sheets have been filled, the carriage is moved back to the rear end of the laten, the frame 9 is elevated, as shown in ig. 2 to release the sheets 12 and to render the same-readily accessible by removing therefrom the manifold strip, its transfer elements and the transfer web 32. The manifest sheets 12 are then removed, a new set of such sheets are placed upon the platen with their left hand edges against the (gage or abutment 10, the frame 9 is droppe to clamp said sheets and to restore the strip 16 to normal position, and the billing operation as before described is continued.

It is thought that from the foregoing, the

construction, operation and advantages of this platen equlpment will be fully comprehended,but while the illustrated embodiment of the invention appears at this time to be preferable, I expressly reserve the right to effect such changes, modifications and variations of the construction and arrangement shown as may come fairly within the scope of the protection prayed.

What I claim is 1. The combination with a platen and a support for a work element, saidplaten and support having relative separative movement to separate the work element and platen, a transfer element, and means for mounting the transfer element to permit movement thereof into-and out of cooperative relation with the work element, said transfer element being separated from the platen by the relative separative movement of the platen and support.

2. The combination with a platen, of a transfer element, a mountin therefor arranged to swing about an axis to move said transfer element into and out of cooperative relation with the work sheet, said mounting having a different movement toward and from the platen to effect a separative movement of the platen and trans fer element.

3. The combination with a stationary platen and a printing mechanism mounted to travel over the platen, of a normally stationary transfer element, a carrier therefor, said carrier being movable relative to the stationary platen to present the trans- .fer element opposite the. printing area of the platen and said ,carrier also having a different movement to carry the transfer element away fromthe platenwhile retaining the same opposite the printing area.

4. The combination with a flat platen,'of

means for holding a 'work element opposite site a given printing area of the platen and also movable to shift the transfer element toward and away from the platen with the work element While opposite said printing area.

6. The combination with a platen and a support having relative separative movement, of a transfer element movable on said support in a direction which is lateral with respect to the transfer element and longitudinal with -respect. to the lines of writing.

7. The combination with a platen, of a support movable relative to the laten in a direction substantially perpendicular to the writing surface, and a transfer element carried by the support and laterally movable independently thereof toward and from a given printing area of the platen.

8. The combination with-a platen and a support having relative separative movement, of a transfer element mounted on the support to participate in such relative separative movement and also arranged to swing on said support.

9. The combination with a platen and a support having relative separative movement,'of a transfer element carried by the support and movable independently of the support in a direction which is lateral with respect to said element.

10. The combination with a platen, of a swinging support and a transfer element mounted to swing with the support and also to swing relative to said support, the two axes of movement of said element being angularly related.

11. The combination with a platen, of a support mounted to swing toward and away from the writing surface of the platen, a transfer element carried by the support and mounted to swing relative thereto, to displace the transfer element from the printing area, the axes of the support and transfer element being angularly related.

12. The combination with a platen, of a swinging sup orting element and a swinging transfer e ement carried by the supporting element, the axis of one of said elements bein substantially parallel with the line of writing and the axis of the other plement being disposed at an angle to said 13. The combination with a platen, of a support having a separative movement toward and away from the writing surface thereof and a transfer element movable towardand away from the platen with said support and also movable toward and away from the support.

14. The combination with a platen, of a support having a separative movement toward and. away from the platen, of a transfer element and a transfer carriermovable with thesupport and also movable relative to the support to shift the transferelement toward and away from a position opposite a given printing area of the platen.

15. The combination with a flat platen, of a support having a separative movement toward and away from the writing surface thereof, and a transfer element carried by the support and movable independently thereof toward and from the platen.

16. The combination with a platen, of a work holder cooperating therewith and a transfer element mounted on the work holder and movable relative thereto to shift the transfer element laterally toward and from a given area of the platen.

17. The combination with a platen, of. a work carrier movable to carry a work element toward and away from the platen, and a transfer carrier movable with the work carrier to retain a transfer element opposite the work element, said transfer carrier being movable relative to the workcarrier to shift said transfer element laterally toward and away from the work element.

18. The combination with a platen and a work carrier relatively movable, of a transfer-carrier associated with thework carrier and movable relative thereto to shift the transfer element laterally.

19. The combination with a platen, of a swinging work carrier and a transfer ele ment mounted to swing on the work carrier.

20. The combination with a platen, of a hinged frame meeting with the platen to retain a work sheet in the printing position, of a transfer carrier hinged to the frame.

21. The combination with a platen, of a transfer element and spaced transfer carriers or holders retaining said transfer element opposite a given printing area and movable to shift the same laterally away from said area and one of said carriers being movable independently of the other to move the adjacent portion of the transfer elementtoward and away from the platen.

22. The combinationwith a platen, of a flexible transfer element and spaced transfer carriers, said carriers being movable in unison to withdraw the transfer element from a given printing area of the platen and one of said carriers being movable independently of the other to move the ad jacent portion of the transfer element away from the writing surface of the platen.

23. The combination with a platen, of a flexible transfer element and spaced hinged transfer carriers, one of said carriers being movable independently of its hinge movement.

24. The combination with a platen, of a work holder connected thereto to move toward and from the platen, and a swinging transfer carrier mounted on said holder.

25.'The combination with a flat platen, a movable printing machine and a movable riers for said transfer elements mounted ed over the printing area of the platen will be removed therefrom.

27. The combination with a platen, of a plurality of transfer elements movable laterally in opposite directions to dispose the,

same in opposite folds of a manifold sheet or strip, and means for moving said transfer elements toward and away from the platen .to permit access to such work elements as may underlie the manifold sheet or strip.

28. The combination with a platen, of a plurality of transfer elements mounted to swing laterally in opposite directions to dispose the same within opposite folds of a manifold sheet strip and also having a different movement toward and from the platen to permit access to an underlying work sheet.

29. The combination with a platen, of front and rear hinged carriers, a plurality of transfer elements extended between said carriers and mounted to swing in different directions to dispose said transfer elements within opposite folds of a manifold sheet or strip, and means for moving the front carriers toward and from the platen independently of the individual swinging movements of said carriers. V

30. The combination with a platen, of a swinging frame having supporting and guiding means for a manifold sheet or strip, a plurality of transfer elements, and'caron the frame.

abutment facilitating the positioning of the work sheets, a work hOIdlD frame cooperating with the platen to hol the sheets positioned by the abutment, and a plurality of laterally movable transfer elements supported by the frame and arranged to be positioned within opposite folds of a mamfold sheet or strip.

34. The combination with a fiat platen, of vertically movable confining means for a work sheet a transfer element movable toward and from the platen with said confining means and also movable laterally independently of the confining means.

35. The combination with a flat platen, of a transfer element disposed longitudinally thereof and movable transversely of the platen into and out of operative position, and means for moving the transfer element toward and from the platen to facilitate access to subjacent work elements.

36. The combination with a platen, of a transfer carrier mounted to swim in one direction, and means for shiftin t e transfer carrier in a diflerent directlon and for holding it in its shifted osition.

37. The combination wlth a transfer strip, a carrier retaining one end of the strip, an axial support for said carrier, and means associated with said axial support for shifting said carrier.

38. The combination with a platen and a printing mechanism including the usual ink ribbon of a plurality of oppositely swinging transfer carriers, and an adjacent rotary transfer carrier.

39. The combination with a flat platen, of a plurality of oppositely swinging transfer carriers and a rotary transfer carrier disposed adjacent to each of two opposite edges of the platen, transfer elements extended between the swinging transfer carriers, and a transfer element extended between the retary transfer carriers.

40. The combination with a platen, of a support movable toward and from the plane of the platen, a laterally movabletransfer element carried by the support, and a longitudinally movable transfer element alsocan ried by said support.

41. The combination with a work confining frame, of a transfer element movable transversely of the platen on the frame, a second transfer element, and. means earned by the frame for moving one of said transfer elements longitudinally.

42. The combination with a fiat platen and a movable-support, of a plurality of transfer elements extended lon 'tudinally of the laten and having their ont ends carried y the support, and means for feeding one of said e ements longitudinally. independently of another transfer element.

, 43. The combination with a flat platen, of two transfer carriers mounted to swm about axes disposed longitudinall of the pFaten, a transfer element extended etween saidcarriers, and a movable support for one of said carriers.

44. The combination witha platen and e work-holder having relative 'separative movable relative thereto to shift the. transfer '10 movement,of e transferelement, and a transelement laterally. fer carrier carried by the work-holder and "In testimony whereof I aflix my signature movable relative thereto to shift the transfer in presence of two witnesses.

-- element HARRY A. FOOTHORAP.

45. The combination with a platen and m work-holder having relative separative Witnesses: movement, of a transfer element, and a trans- J F. Cmmmwmm, fer carrier carried by the work-holder and RM. PARKER. 

